I just wanted to post a little sneak peek at my biggest project this semester…

my own portfolio website! (finally!)

this is my homepage mockup design. I’m kind of loving it so far..

can’t wait for it to be up and running!

<3

the save-the-date I created from an original photo for my wedding (the date of which has now been changed)

the preliminary design for my cousin's wedding invitation. the inserts, etc. haven't been finished yet. the paper would be the red-orange color and the silver lettering will most likely be done with foil printing to make it pop

and here is the tweaked version with some obvious changes. I like the bright colors she picked.

here's a shower lib (like a mad lib) I made for my best friend's bridal shower

and a little extra card for another bridal shower game. wink!

I took my brother's engagement photos (he happens to be marrying my dear friend) and this one is probably my favorite

the capitol building is gorgeous

yay for love!

first, a newsletter. we were supposed to come up with a concept for a “Utah Uncovered” magazine edition. I decided to do a special dinosaur edition, given Utah’s abundance of dinosaur bones. the artwork is all hand-done.

the cover page of a faux "Utah Uncovered" newsletter

here are a series of pet shop ads designed for a newspaper:

and a postcard created for a high-end fashion show. the marker comp is, again, hand-done.

here are some of the Photoshop projects I worked on last semester, as I was learning the program. I have since become significantly more proficient at using it, though it is a constant learning process, given everything Photoshop is capable of.

this is one of my very first Photoshop projects. we had to create a City Weekly cover around a theme in society.

this was a playing card we had to design for a game called "Werewolf."

preliminary edit of an original photo for a CD case cover

final 2-color edit for the CD cover

ugly Christmas sweater t-shirt design. because I think I'm funny.

I hope your June has been lovely.

We were asked to create an instruction manual on whatever topic we wanted, and I chose this because I enjoy concerts
and I also enjoy being sarcastic.

Here’s the way it turned out:

It’s a booklet that folds into 8 pages when cut and folded correctly.

Since the text is so small, this is what it says:

How to Attend Concerts

For Amateurs
(Who Don’t Want to Look Like Amateurs)
by Aubrey Wilkinson

Let’s be honest, concert attendance is an art – an art requiring a

specific skill set and knowledge that must be honed if one is ever to achieve the status of
professional concert-goer.

Luckily for you, you’ve stumbled upon the instruction manual

containing golden knowledge

nuggets in the form of six easy steps on how to look like a professional when attending a concert instead of an amateur wannabe.

Lace up your Chucks, button your skinny jeans, and keep your hands and arms inside the mosh pit.

Here we go.

Step 1: Prep

Just like every good scout, every good concert-goer must be prepared.

Step 2: The Look

A word of CAUTION: Never wear the t-shirt of the band you are going to see. It’s bad luck and you look like a 12 year-old fan-girl/boy that the pros will instantly judge.

Legit scenesters typically rock the tee of a classic indie-respected band, the tee with the most obscure music reference they can dig up, something socially ironic, something vintage and Mr. Rogers-y, or a deep V.

Glasses and hats are not essential, but are considered safe bonus items. Trendy black nerd glasses subtly scream, “I’m deeper than you,” to everyone around you. Skinny jeans and tennis shoes (i.e. Chucks or something neon that doesn’t match) are safe bets. Make sure shoes are comfortable and dirty-able, or you’ll hate yourself. And definitely ensure that your shirt is sweat-friendly.

These rules can be unisex, but girls may want to look like something straight out of an Urban Outfitters catalog instead and be considered totally “hawt.”

Step 3: Make Your Entrance

Every concert pro knows that no concert ever starts on time. If doors are at 7, you get there at 8. You’ll still catch the openers because the line of teenagers around the block will have been shuffling in during the sound check.

Note: make it on time to see The openers, as they often have the potential to be the best part of the show for you. why? because that’s where you gain knowledge for street indie music cred after the show is long over. That band with 20 members, trumpets, glockenspiels, and a name that sounds like they tortured a dictionary until the 2 most random words fell out of it will be your golden ticket to respect when you can say you loved them way before anybody knew who they were.. and then you can snootily gripe when they make it big about how much better they were before they sold out.

Step 4: Location Selection

as in real estate, your choice of location can play a big part in your level of enjoyment. decide beforehand if you wanna be on the floor in the mass of action or a sit on the balcony and look on knowingly while enjoying your beverage. If you aren’t sure, the only method for decision is experience, and you’ll have to try both spots.

For in-the-crowd-ers: You must not be afraid to be aggressive. maximum concert experience can only be achieved by pushing through to optimal location. Get as close to the band as possible (behind someone as short-ish), and expect to get touched on all sides the entire time and leave as a sweaty monkey. You may choose to mosh if you wish.

For observers: If this is not a venue large enough for assigned seating (the best concerts are smaller scale), you’ll need to pounce on a prime spot asap or you’ll end up squished awkwardly next to the big girl in the spaghetti strap top getting toasted and screaming obscenities or “I love you!” to the lead singer. Being next to a railing you can lean on is ideal. If the venue does not have multiple levels, you’ll want to pick a comfy spot behind the crazed crowd where you can get a decent view and sound.

Step 5: Enjoy

Revel in the experience. Going to a concert is about connecting with the band. This is the moment when the sound and lights and lyrics wash over you and soak through your pretentious glasses to make you remember why you’re in love with music. This is why you came. This is when you forget about
anything but this moment.

and if you’re too stuck up to dance.. you take yourself too seriously.

Step 6: (Meet the Band) and Depart

Purchase merch if you wish. Lesser-known bands especially need that support. Also, merch tables are prime locations for meeting bands… and meeting bands makes concert
experiences about 85.9 times better than they otherwise would have been. Not to mention, if you really want to be “scene,” you’ll be “in” with the bands. Credibility doubles when you hit that level. Get your photos if desired, but be cool. There’s no need to go all Beiber fever on these people.

And then take your leave, buzzed from the sheer high of great music.

Congrats.. you’re no longer
an amateur.

he was so pleased with the results that this image has been copied I don’t even know how many times and posted all over the college campus where I work with various additions to the illustration by my co-workers (i.e. elvis hair, Jazz tattoos, piercings, etc.) as well as Facebook.

it’s been great for publicity, though, and has resulted in several people requesting commissioned pieces as well as fighting to be my next school assignment portrait models. (if any of you are interested in commissioned pieces as well, yes I would be willing and I am working on getting a price listing posted.)

this piece was done in graphite and is 18×24.

Exhibit A:

The UPC Code – our task was to reinterpret the UPC code and make some kind of social statement. I chose a Christian Louboutin kind of statement. This was done in marker and colored pencil.

Exhibit B:

Life and Death – the task was to demonstrate life and death on the back doors of a semi truck, life if you pass on the left, and death if you pass on the right. (my teacher got a kick out of my sick humor in this one.) This was done with watercolor pencils, pastels, and markers.

Exhibit C:

Black Squares – the task was to interpret the words: order, increase, bold, congestion, tension, and playful using only 4 black squares per word.

Exhibit D:

Jack and Jill – we were given a page of graphics as our only options to choose from and instructed to illustrate the nursery rhyme of “Jack and Jill” with them. if you remember, it goes, “Jack and Jill went up the hill to fetch a pail of water. Jack fell down and broke his crown and Jill came tumbling after.” (my beef with this one: I wasn’t aware we were allowed to switch the direction of the graphics, or I would I have changed the arrow to be going left to right.) This was done in marker.

I did this piece on the theme of gendered communication. Every part of it is symbolic. It’s based from a photo of me, so technically.. it’s a self-portrait.

the end!